Voting ...can they do this?

[scribblet]

Yes. Any time frame is going to be arbitrary. Five years is enough time to find out if whatever you were seeking outside of the country is going to work out for you or not.

Right, and Elections Canada is an independent agency at arm's length from the gov’t which simply enacts legislation, it cannot arbitrarily change the rules unless there is such legislation.

[scribblet]

Just following the letter of the original 1993 law...

http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/off/sta_2011&document=p2〈=e
Up to and including the 2006 general election, anyone who had returned to Canada, even for a brief visit, was deemed to have "resided" in the country and the five-year clock was reset, allowing them to vote by special ballot.
Following the 2006 general election, in the course of reviewing information material for these international electors, Elections Canada changed the information provided to more closely respect the text of the legislation by indicating that the five-year period begins from the date the elector leaves Canada to live abroad and remains in effect until the date the elector returns to Canada to reside. A visit to Canada cannot be considered a resumption of residence in Canada and does not interrupt the five-year period.

[Bonam]

I'm a Canadian citizen and have been living outside Canada for over 5 years (6 years now). I'd love to be able to vote in the Canadian election, but honestly, not living there, I don't have any real stake in the outcome. Why should I, living in the US and not being affected by Canadian policies, get to vote in a Canadian election? People who live in Canada and are affected by what the Canadian government does should be the ones deciding what kind of government it has.

As for the arbitrary nature of the 5 year period... all kinds of things are arbitrary. Retirement age is arbitrary, drinking age is arbitrary, driving age is arbitrary, the length of time you have to be a permanent resident before you can apply for citizenship is arbitrary, etc. Reality is, governments have to pick a number that makes some kind of sense, and they do. 5 years of living outside Canada is a reasonable indicator that someone is not just studying abroad, on work assignment from their company, traveling, etc. It could be 3 years, it could be 7 years, doesn't matter much in the end though as long as you have a specified number that can be consistently applied as a rule. What would be the alternative to picking an arbitrary number... evaluating on a case by case basis whether someone should still be allowed to vote in Canada based on the nature of their stay outside Canada? Seems like a waste of time and money. 5 years seems good... it guarantees that you get to vote in at least 1 more election after you've left Canada, and no more than 2.

[bush_cheney2004]

I'm a Canadian citizen and have been living outside Canada for over 5 years (6 years now). I'd love to be able to vote in the Canadian election, but honestly, not living there, I don't have any real stake in the outcome. Why should I, living in the US and not being affected by Canadian policies, get to vote in a Canadian election? People who live in Canada and are affected by what the Canadian government does should be the ones deciding what kind of government it has.

But that works both ways...the Canadian government can still insist on your obligations/responsibilities as a Canadian citizen, or are those extinguished as well after some arbitrary length of time?

[Bonam]

But that works both ways...the Canadian government can still insist on your obligations/responsibilities as a Canadian citizen, or are those extinguished as well after some arbitrary length of time?

Unlike in the US, paying taxes to the Canadian government is based on residency, not citizenship. As a Canadian citizen, after you've no longer resided in Canada and are less "effectively connected" with Canada than with your new home, you can file a form with the CRA to that effect, and no longer have to pay any taxes to Canada nor file a tax return. I did this about 3 years ago. American citizens, on the other hand, must pay tax to the US government on their worldwide income, even if they have not resided in the US in many years (although tax treaties exist with some nations to avoid double taxation).

Not sure of other obligations/responsibilities.

Edited August 19, 2015 by Bonam

[bush_cheney2004]

Unlike in the US, paying taxes to the Canadian government is based on residency, not citizenship.....

Not sure of other obligations/responsibilities.

What about military conscription, a la Conscription crises of 1917 and 1944 ?

Or True allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second Queen of Canada ?

...actually, now that I read the Canadian Oath of Citizenship, it seems to be directly in conflict with the 1993 law as voting is considered to be a responsibility of citizenship.

[waldo]

why do (some) supporters of Harper Conservatives revel in any measure that presumes to limit or constrain voting for Canadian citizens?

- as of today Canadian citizens are SOL in being able to vote if they live outside of Canada for more than 5 years

- provided taxes owing are paid, Americans living outside the U.S. have the right to vote indefinitely regardless of how long they have been living abroad

- citizens of the UK retain their voting rights up to the point of living 15 years abroad

- citizens of New Zealand are subject to a 3 year limit of living abroad; however, as used to be the case in Canada before Harper Conservatives had Elections Canada revisit the related law, the clock for citizens of New Zealand restarts once a citizen visits the country

- Australian citizens living abroad retain their voting eligibility if they declare an intention to return to Australia within 6 years; however, after 6 years, citizens can renew their status by making an annual declaration of their intention to return “at some point” thereby voting for an indefinite period

[Bryan]

why do (some) supporters of Harper Conservatives revel in any measure that presumes to limit or constrain voting for Canadian citizens?

Only for the ones who don't live here and don't pay taxes here. By moving away, they're the ones who chose to put Canada on the back-burner. All they have to do is come back home.

[waldo]

Only for the ones who don't live here and don't pay taxes here. By moving away, they're the ones who chose to put Canada on the back-burner. All they have to do is come back home.

no - sorry... those Canadian citizens still pay tax on their Canadian earnings (if any)... and should pay tax on their Canadian holdings (if any). So you're ok with living outside of Canada for more than 5 years and retaining voting eligibility... so long as taxes owed are paid... good on ya!

[Bryan]

no - sorry... those Canadian citizens still pay tax on their Canadian earnings (if any)... and should pay tax on their Canadian holdings (if any). So you're ok with living outside of Canada for more than 5 years and retaining voting eligibility... so long as taxes owed are paid... good on ya!

Not either/or. Both.

[Argus]

why do (some) supporters of Harper Conservatives revel in any measure that presumes to limit or constrain voting for Canadian citizens?

Not seeing any of this reveling. Anyone out there seeing a lot of reveling going on?

I think we tend to be for common sense, though. Is that what you resent?

[scribblet]

Not seeing any of this reveling. Anyone out there seeing a lot of reveling going on?

I think we tend to be for common sense, though. Is that what you resent?

No reveling here or anywhere else that I've seen, but then lots of people impute words and feelings to others that aren't there. Mind you, I was reveling when the 1993 legislation was passed expanding voters rights for ex-pats who didn't have those rights before.

[waldo]

Not seeing any of this reveling. Anyone out there seeing a lot of reveling going on?

I think we tend to be for common sense, though. Is that what you resent?

reveling has been reduced... somewhat; that fervent reveling caused enough backlash that Harper Conservatives were forced to attempt to make their Unfair Elections Act... more fair! Harper’s Election Act reversal takes us only half way to really fair votes